


i’ve loved you for a thousand years (and five hundred more)

by dragcnlxrd



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, BBC, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Merlin - Freeform, Merthur - Freeform, Merthur endgame, Modern, mlm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:15:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27178429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragcnlxrd/pseuds/dragcnlxrd
Summary: Arthur returns, but where’s Merlin?
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 83





	i’ve loved you for a thousand years (and five hundred more)

**Author's Note:**

> heyo!! hope you enjoy it!
> 
> disclaimer: i don’t own merlin or any of the characters!
> 
> trigger warning: it mentions blood, and some vague violence

“Merlin?” was what Arthur had heard himself say on that prophesied day of his resurrection, after 1500 hundred years of seeing the world above him grow.

Many would’ve thought he was completely oblivious to how much the world had changed since his lifetime, but they would’ve been wrong. He knew exactly how things had changed. Moreover, he knew exactly what a PS4 was. What? A man needed his entertainment.

Though, to his disappointment, the one thing neither Freya, nor the Sidhe, ever let him see was Merlin. He never got to see Merlin growing older. He never got to see Merlin getting married, and starting a family. Each time he tried to wheedle out information about him from Freya, she gave him a knowing smirk, which made him get his ‘signature pout’, as she’d called it. This always led to her solemnly reassuring him.

“He  _ will _ be waiting for you, Arthur. You will see him when the time is right.”

So, Arthur had assumed that when he rose to the surface, he would just see Merlin waiting there— worn-out brown jacket, neckerchief and all. But, he wasn’t there. The one thing Arthur had been longing for, for over a millennia, wasn’t there.

Arthur felt his knees giving in, and just let all his sorrow, all his pain and all his misery pour into his screams of agony. And, when the storm inside him was over, and he no longer had any more fight left inside of him, he looked up with a blurred vision. He’d had no idea how long he’d been there, broken. It could’ve been hours, it could’ve been minutes; he didn’t care.

He slowly got up, when he realised he didn’t have his old body. Well, he  _ did,  _ but not the one he’d died in. This body was the same as his twenty-two year old self’s. 

He turned around, and walked back to the lake, checking his reflection in the water. He looked young. But his eyes— oh, they told a completely different story. They resembled those of a man who’s seen so much pain, and received an eternity of hurt. They looked old, and weary of this world.

At least, he could use his newfound physical strength to earn a living.

  
  


________

  
  


It had been two years since Arthur came back— two years of winning every fight he fought. He was, now, well-known in the business. Every club wanted him as their champion. The audience always wanted him to fight— didn’t care whether he’d live or die. They just wanted a show. So, he gave them one, every time.

He hadn’t had any relationships in those two years— no love. There was the occasional fling, but that was all. He didn’t really  _ want _ a relationship, if he were being honest. 

Well, he  _ did,  _ but the one he wanted it with was nowhere to be found.  _ He was probably dead _ , Arthur thought on nights when the pain was so  _ sharp _ , that he found it  _ funny _ on some  level of alcohol-induced consciousness. 

Drinking helped some nights, though not most. Nothing helped, really.

—————

02:09, Arthur’s watch read.

He had been in the  _ middle _ of a fight, and was about to land the winning blow. Just then, though, the police decided to drop by for a friendly, little chat. As the blood had been dripping from his bottom lip, he was being manhandled to the locker room, and told to put his clothes back on. So, he did. 

Then, he was being handcuffed and put in the back of a police car, and being taken to the station. He went with it, never resisting the arrest. 

And just like every time it happened, he was, now, in the interrogation room with Detective Inspector Riley.

“So, officer,  _ what _ are we waiting for? Not going to start  _ throwing _ questions at me?” He asked. His head was throbbing and he really just wanted to sleep, but he managed to keep his tone wry.

“Zip it, Pendragon. You’re not actually a King. And for the record, today the Captain has decided to interrogate you— with no supervision from any other officers,” she hissed out, “So, mind your tongue.”

“Ah, your concern is touching. But, no supervision? Why, what’s he planning to do to me?”

“This isn’t a…” Riley was saying, but her radio interrupted her, “Ah, yes Captain, he’s here. Over.”

“Good. I’ll be right there. You can leave the room now, and take everyone else with you as well. Over and out,” The Captain said. 

“The Captain’s almost here. Behave,” she said, and left the room.

_ Oh _ , this was going to be  _ boring.  _ Getting a reaction out of Riley was one of the few reasons Arthur didn’t  _ hate _ getting arrested. 

He rested his head on the table. 

_________

“Hello, Arthur,” a very familiar voice woke Arthur from his almost-sleep, but he didn’t  _ dare _ look up. 

He was probably just imagining it.

He rubbed his fingers over his eyelids, in an attempt to clear his eyesight, and slowly looked up.

But what he saw baffled him. It  _ wasn’t him _ . It  _ couldn’t _ be him. He knew his jaw was dropped now, and his eyes widened, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

_ Merlin _ was right in front of him. The man in front of him was exactly like Merlin, but also nothing like him. Merlin was bubbly, cheerful, happy—- he was a breath of fresh air in the middle of a crazy battle. Merlin was peace, tranquility— he was… He was  _ Merlin.  _

This man, though, was  _ resigned.  _ Where Merlin would’ve been smiling, this man looked like he was  _ calculating.  _ Merlin never calculated, he simply observed. 

The man still had the shaggy, black hair, the pale skin, the blue eyes. But, he also had a rough stubble, and he looked  _ exhausted,  _ as if he had the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. The Merlin Arthur knew would never have crumbled like that, he would’ve hoped. 

Yet, a lot of people seemed to be doing what had, once, been unpredictable for them. 

“Merlin?” he asked, his voice small and wavering. He was afraid to hope. 

“Yes,” he breathed.

_ Where have you been? Why do you look so tired? When did you become like this? Why did you never  _ look  _ for me?  _

Instead, what came out was, “Long time no see,”

“ _What_ _happened_ to you, Arthur? You’re not… This isn’t…” Merlin whispered, his eyes tearing up.

“I could ask you the same,  _ Captain _ ,” Arthur choked out, looking away. He couldn’t stand to look at the clear  _ agony _ on Merlin—  _ his _ Merlin’s face.

They stared at each other for a while, letting the  _ deafening _ silence drag on and on.

Merlin fished out a key from his pocket and unlocked Arthur’s handcuffs.

Then, a few minutes later, he finally broke the silence, “I’ve missed you Sire.” 

“Godamnit, Merlin!,” Arthur attempted to bark out, but it came out as more of a sob. He took a long stride towards Merlin, wrapping his arms around his old friend. “Don’t you think I missed you as well?! I looked for you, everywhere for a  _ year.  _ But you were  _ nowhere _ ,” he vented. 

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I had no idea you were back,” Merlin whispered. 

They stood like that for a while, just holding each other, and seeking comfort from each other after an eternity of separation. 

Merlin finally pulled back, his cheeks tear-stained. 

“You’re here. You’re finally back,” Merlin whispered, holding Arthur’s face in one hand.

“Yeah, I am,” Arthur stared into Merlin’s eyes, whilst Merlin pulled him closer, and their lips met.

He kissed Arthur, and it took the latter no time to kiss back. But, the kiss didn’t last long. Arthur suddenly pulled away, worried he’d ruined lives. 

Seeing the hurt look on his best friend’s face, he explained his reasoning, “Merlin, I want to— I  _ really _ want to. But, you’ve probably got a partner and I don’t want to come between you…”

“Arthur, listen,” Merlin interrupted his babbling, “I’m single.” 

“Oh. Why didn’t you just say so?” He responded with a grin, not really giving Merlin a chance to respond. 

Arthur strode forwards, and pressed their lips together.

And what happened next, was a private moment, between two soulmates lost in time, and we shall not intrude.

They both knew they were shit at communicating, and a lot had to be said and done, but they loved each other and for the time being, that was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> hey!! i’m hoping you guys liked it! ksksks it took HOURS but i’m kinda proud of it


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